Manila alerted Canberra over potential Peacock 'scandal'

THE US Embassy in Manila warned its counterparts in Canberra that a potential scandal was developing in the Philippines involving Susan Peacock, wife of then Foreign Affairs Minister Andrew Peacock.

The latest WikiLeaks release of US cablegrams shows that on April 30, 1976, Manila warned Canberra a story could break that would push Labor Party internal wrangling off the front pages.

"An attractive young woman named Susan Peacock, who says she is the wife of Australian Foreign Secretary (Minister) Andrew Peacock, showed up here yesterday in company of a flashy English-type namedSangster, who claims to operate the Australian national lottery," the Manila embassy wrote.

"The couple say they have 'eloped' although each admits to being otherwise married, each with three children."

The embassy picked up local gossip that Mr Sangster, who would go on to marry Susan Peacock in 1978, may have fled with Australian lottery money.

"It is not clear whether Mr Sangster has merely taken the Foreign Secretary's wife with him as he left Australia, or whether he has also taken some of the state lottery funds, but if these people are who they say they are, it would be natural for such suspicions to arise.

"Local denizens who have met the Peacocks previously vouch for Ms Susan's identity.

"We will check this story with Australian Embassy later today, but would, in meantime, appreciate any comment or confirmation that Canberra may have on this episode.

"Sangster and Susan are cutting rather wide swath in local jet-set, who are titillated by shades of Julie (sic) Morosi."

This was a reference to the scandal which in federal Labor minister, Jim Cairns, who had an affair with his private secretary, Junie Morosi, which led to his sacking from the Whitlam government.

The US Embassy in Canberra told Manila it appreciated the tipoff but could not risk confirming the rumour without making it look like it was itself spreading rumours.